scholarly journals Interactive effects of composted green waste and earthworm activity on tree growth and reclaimed soil quality: A mesocosm experiment

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 ◽  
pp. 226-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ashwood ◽  
Kevin R. Butt ◽  
Kieron J. Doick ◽  
Elena I. Vanguelova
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Mesocosm Experiment ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Green Waste ◽  
Reclaimed Soil ◽  
Earthworm Activity

scholarly journals Effects of composted green waste on soil quality and tree growth on a reclaimed landfill site

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
pp. 46-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Ashwood ◽  
Kevin R. Butt ◽  
Kieron J. Doick ◽  
Elena I. Vanguelova
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Landfill Site ◽  
Green Waste

Labile carbon and other soil quality indicators in two tillage systems during transition to organic agriculture

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bruce Lewis ◽  
Jason P. Kaye ◽  
Randa Jabbour ◽  
Mary E. Barbercheck
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Labile Carbon ◽  
Initial Field ◽  
Soil Attributes

AbstractWeed management is one of the primary challenges for producers transitioning from conventional to organic agriculture. Tillage and the use of cover crops are two weed control tactics available to farmers transitioning to organic management, but little is known about their interactive effects on soil quality during the transition period. We investigated the response of soils to tillage and initial cover crop during the 3-year transition to organic in a cover crop–soybean (Glycine max)–maize (Zea mays) rotation in the Mid-Atlantic region of the USA. The tillage treatment contrasted full, inversion tillage with moldboard plowing (FT) versus reduced tillage with chisel plowing (RT). The cover crop treatment contrasted annual versus mostly perennial species during the first year of the rotation. The experiment was initiated twice (Start 1 and Start 2), in consecutive years in adjacent fields. By the end of the experiment, labile carbon, electrical conductivity, pH and soil moisture were all greater under RT than under FT in both starts. Soil organic matter and several other soil attributes were greater under RT than under FT in Start 1, but not in Start 2, perhaps owing to differences between starts in initial field conditions and realized weather. Soil attributes did not differ between the two cover crop treatments. Combining our soils results with agronomic and economic analyses on these plots suggests that using RT during the organic transition can increase soil quality without compromising yield and profitability.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Wheat Yield and Variability: Evidence from Manitoba, Canada

2009 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 625-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Carew ◽  
Elwin G. Smith ◽  
Cynthia Grant
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Spatial Diversity ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Wheat Cultivars ◽  
Biodiversity Indicators ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Plant Breeders Rights

Production functions to explain regional wheat yields have not been studied extensively in the Canadian prairies. The objective of this study is to employ a Just-Pope production function to examine the relationship between fertilizer inputs, soil quality, biodiversity indicators, cultivars qualifying for Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR), and climatic conditions on the mean and variance of spring wheat yields. Using regional-level wheat data from Manitoba, Canada, model results show nitrogen fertilizer, temporal diversity, and PBR wheat cultivars are associated with increased yield variance. Mean wheat yield is reduced by the proportion of land in wheat, the interaction of growing temperature and precipitation, and spatial diversity. By contrast, higher soil quality and PBR wheat cultivars increase mean yield. The wheat yield increases attributed to PBR range from 37.2 (1.4%) to 54.5 kg/ha (2.0%). Plant Breeders' Rights may have enhanced royalties from increased certified seed sales, but the benefits in terms of higher wheat yield or lower yield variability are limited. Future research is required to understand the interactive effects of fertilization practices, genetic diversity, and environmental conditions on regional wheat yield stability.

Stumping trials in British Columbia — organic matter removal and compaction effects on tree growth from seedlings to midrotation stands

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (11) ◽  
pp. 1402-1418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte E. Norris ◽  
Karen E. Hogg ◽  
Doug G. Maynard ◽  
Mike P. Curran
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Forest Biomass ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Organic Matter Removal ◽  
Biomass Removal ◽  
The Given ◽  
Different Levels

There is considerable interest in understanding the repercussions of compaction and organic matter removal on soil quality and forest productivity. However, long-term field trials examining the effects of machinery and forest biomass removal on soil quality and stand regeneration are scarce. We present 20–31 years of tree growth results from four unique stump removal field trials. Each site had both treatments with varying amounts of organic matter removal (from tree stem harvesting to removal of tree stumps to loss of roots) and treatments with different levels of compaction due to site preparation machinery. Tree heights among the different treatments at midrotation were the same or taller than those with minimal organic matter removal and compaction. However, when stand development was evaluated using the quantity of tree volume for the given number of trees planted, treatment effects were clearly evident; tree volumes were significantly lower in compacted treatments, whereas organic matter removal did not appear to effect stand production. Although the sites were not directly comparable, when combined, the field trials provide insights to the possible implications of forest biomass harvesting on stand regeneration and overall forest soil quality.

scholarly journals Interactive effects of ozone and climate on tree growth and water use in a southern Appalachian forest in the USA

2007 ◽  
Vol 174 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. McLaughlin ◽  
M. Nosal ◽  
S. D. Wullschleger ◽  
G. Sun
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Southern Appalachian ◽  
The Usa

scholarly journals Wood Chips and Compost Improve Soil Quality and Increase Growth of Acer rubrum and Betula nigra in Compacted Urban Soil

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryant Scharenbroch ◽  
Gary Watson
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Microbial Respiration ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Wood Chip ◽  
Urban Landscapes ◽  
Water Control

Tree growth is negatively impacted by the removal of topsoil and compaction of subsoil associated with site development in urban landscapes. A research plot with 60 Acer rubrum and 60 Betula nigra was created, mimicking the typical urban landscape disturbance. Wood-chip mulch (WC), compost (COMP), inorganic fertilizer (FERT), aerated compost tea (ACT), a commercial biological product (CBP), and a water control (NULL) were assessed for their impacts on soil quality and tree growth after five years. The WC treatment significantly decreased bulk density and increased soil moisture, organic matter, and microbial respiration. The COMP treatment increased soil moisture, organic matter, microbial respiration, pH, N, P, and K. Soil P increased with the FERT treatment. Tree growth was significantly increased with WC, COMP, and FERT treatments. No significant changes in soil properties or tree growth were observed with ACT or CBP compared to NULL; and, compared to background soil levels or other treatments (e.g., COMP and WC) ACT and CBP supply relatively minimal amounts of microbes and nutrients. This research shows strong evidence that COMP topdressings and WC mulches are effective and also cost-efficient methods for improving soil quality and stimulating tree growth in compacted urban landscape soils.

scholarly journals Comparative evaluation of growth performance and soil quality of two age sequences of Gmelina arborea plantation in University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1767-1773
Author(s):  
E.F. Akhabue ◽  
U.D. Chima ◽  
F.S. Eguakun
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Growth Performance ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Gmelina Arborea ◽  
Port Harcourt ◽  
Significant Difference

This study was conducted in 2019 to compare the growth performance and soil quality of two agesequences of Gmelina arborea plantation within the premises of the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Data were collected from two stands of G. arborea established in 2011 and 2015. Growth performance was evaluated based on tree growth variables and above-ground carbon stored. Tree growth variables estimated were total height (TH), diameter at breast height (DBH), crown height (CH), crown diameter (CD) and merchantable height (MH). Topsoil (0 – 30 cm) samples collected from the two sites were analyzed for particle size distribution, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (Av.P), exchangeable bases (Mg, Ca, K and Na), exchangeable acidity (Al+ H+), effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), base saturation (BS), pH, Manganese (Mn), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn). The above-ground biomass (AGB) and carbon stock (CS) were also determined. T-test was used to test for significant difference in the measured parameters between the two age-sequences of G. arborea. Higher values for TH, DBH, CS and MH were recorded for the older stand although the differences between the two age-sequences were not significantly different (p ≥ 0.05). The AGB and CS per hectare were higher for the older than the younger G. arborea stand (302.27 m3 ha-1 and 151.52 m3 ha-1, respectively). Higher values for silt, clay, Ca, Mg, Al+ H+, ECEC, BS, Mn, Fe and Zn were also recorded for the older stand. However, the observed differences were only significant (p < 0.05) for clay, pH, Av.P, Mn and Fe. The study revealed that although soil properties, tree growth as well as carbon sequestration capacity of G. arborea stand improved/increased with age, the differences were mainly not statistically significant (p ≥ 0.05) between the two (eight and four years) age-sequences. Keywords: Gmelina arborea, age sequence, soil quality, carbon sequestration

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